Chapter 71

Chapter 71

Damn! Ye Zhiqiu couldn’t help but feel like laughing.

He meant the swing set, not in that sense.

He just thought he hadn’t had the chance to show Qin Jianhe his "new home" completely yet.

But at this moment, he couldn’t say anything else.

Because he was being passionately kissed by Qin Jianhe, who had him pinned against the door frame.

The man forcefully held him against the door, kissing him fiercely and greedily. His tall figure stepped forward without hesitation, enveloping him entirely.

It carried a strong sense of possession and domination.

In that instant, Ye Zhiqiu felt as if he had been completely severed from the world.

It seemed as if their world contained only each other, nothing else.

The air gradually became thin, and the light above them seemed to transform into a colorful mist. Ye Zhiqiu felt himself floating lightly.

As if he were about to fly away, he instinctively stood on his tiptoes.

A very soft laugh escaped Qin Jianhe’s lips, and Ye Zhiqiu closed his eyes, pushing him slightly on the shoulder with a hint of embarrassment.

Qin Jianhe pulled back for a moment but then leaned in again, holding him even tighter.

He lowered his head, touching foreheads with him.

The air was quiet, filled only with their slightly rapid breathing.

After a moment, Qin Jianhe lowered his head again, gently sucking on Ye Zhiqiu’s moist, red lips.

The usual coolness on his lips had dissipated, now warm and soft, carrying Ye Zhiqiu’s unique, sweet scent.

"You’re…" Ye Zhiqiu lifted his wet lashes, “trying to warm the bed before warming the kitchen?”

"How can I warm the kitchen when I can’t be brought to the table?" Qin Jianhe looked down at him, his dark eyes as deep as ink, "I can only warm the bed first."

Ye Zhiqiu: "..."

"Well, thank you, Qin Jianhe," Ye Zhiqiu laughed, regaining some ground, "but the bed isn’t new either; Shaojun and the others helped me warm it up this afternoon."

Qin Jianhe: "..."

"Do you like them that much?" he asked.

"Mm." Ye Zhiqiu smiled at him.

"What about compared to me?" Qin Jianhe lowered his head, biting his lip neither too hard nor too softly, with a hint of threat.

Ye Zhiqiu blinked, then burst out laughing, "We’re not in the same league."

"Is that supposed to be comforting?" A smile flickered in Qin Jianhe’s eyes.

"Maybe." Ye Zhiqiu smiled, tiptoed, and gave Qin Jianhe a kiss on the corner of his lips, "This is also comforting."

Immediately after, he was pressed down again, and Qin Jianhe took control, kissing him deeply once more.

"Are you staying here tonight?" After a while, they reluctantly parted.

"Mm," Qin Jianhe’s voice was already hoarse, "I want to."

As he spoke, he couldn’t help but reach out to touch Ye Zhiqiu’s damp lashes.

"I just moved in and haven’t had time to prepare a change of clothes for you," Ye Zhiqiu chuckled, blinking, "I’ll go downstairs later to buy a couple of sets."

"No need. Have Wei Jie bring a couple over later," Qin Jianhe held his wrist and led him to the balcony, "Let’s look at your swing set first."

"This swing set looks a bit like the one in my family’s courtyard." Ye Zhiqiu said, pulling Qin Jianhe to sit down together, "The one in our courtyard was also big enough for two people. When I was little, I loved lying on it at night to watch the stars."

"You can do that now too." Qin Jianhe pulled him into his arms, and with a push, the swing chair began to rock back and forth, "The view is nice."

But Ye Zhiqiu shook his head.

"The sky these days doesn’t have many stars," he said, smiling, "But you can still bask in the sun or admire the moon."

Across from the swing chair was a plant rack, filled from top to bottom with various plants, from cacti to orchids.

Near the floor-to-ceiling window was a large recliner with comfortable cushions, looking very cozy.

Next to the recliner was a small round table with two chairs on either side, perfect for having coffee or relaxing.

Although he had personally selected everything, part of the arrangement was done by Wei Jie.

Qin Jianhe watched silently, finding it quite satisfactory.

"There aren’t many units like this in this neighborhood," Qin Jianhe turned to look at Ye Zhiqiu, "You’re lucky."

Hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu’s eyes curved, nodding in agreement.

"You didn’t know," he said, "the kitchen utensils and the bed in the bedroom are all brand new. I even tore off the plastic wrap myself."

Resting his chin in his hand, he continued, "I guess the landlord must have someone he really likes. But something happened right before the wedding, so he left for love but couldn’t bear to sell this house, hence renting it out temporarily."

Qin Jianhe pursed his lips, suppressing the laughter that threatened to spill out.

"Hmm?" he asked, "Why do you think so?"

The natural innocence and playfulness that come with being a nineteen-year-old boy were something Qin Jianhe rarely saw in Ye Zhiqiu.

Perhaps today he was truly in a very good mood, which is why he revealed a bit of softness hidden beneath his thick, hard shell—softness he wasn't even aware of himself.

It seemed that he really liked this place.

Or perhaps...

Because he had lost his mother at a young age, he might have never truly experienced the feeling of home or had any real sense of security.

So, he really wanted a home of his own.

Thinking deeper about it, Qin Jianhe's eyes couldn't help but darken slightly.

Not noticing his expression, Ye Zhiqiu tilted his head and said after a moment of thought, "The password for this house used to be 5212121."

Even though there was no one else in the room, he instinctively leaned close to Qin Jianhe's ear and whispered softly.

"And there's that huge new bed..." Ye Zhiqiu pursed his lips, the amusement in his eyes clear, "That's why I guessed like that."

"Hmm." Qin Jianhe turned to look at him, the gloominess in his eyes gradually dissipating, leaving only a faint smile.

"I guessed so too," he said, "He must love someone very much."

Hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu propped his chin up again, lost in thought.

"Then," Qin Jianhe looked at his porcelain-like profile and suddenly asked, "What's the current password for this house?"

"68..." Ye Zhiqiu started to say the first two digits before abruptly stopping, "Hey, Qin Jianhe."

Seeing his wide, round eyes, Qin Jianhe laughed.

"Ye Zhiqiu," he said, "You seem to have no guard up against me."

"Not at all," Ye Zhiqiu replied, "I just slipped up."

"Hmm." Qin Jianhe nodded, "Next time, don't be so careless with others."

...

The two were laughing and swinging on the swing set when the doorbell suddenly rang.

"Wei Jie is here," Qin Jianhe got up, gently pressing his hand on Ye Zhiqiu's shoulder, "I'll go open the door."

Wei Jie didn't come in; he only exchanged a few words with Qin Jianhe at the door before the door closed again.

Ye Zhiqiu stood up and saw Qin Jianhe holding a handbag as he turned to come back inside.

Although they hadn't done anything all evening, time seemed to pass particularly quickly. Ye Zhiqiu checked his wristwatch and was surprised to find it was already half past nine.

"Wanna take a bath?" He smiled and looked up at Qin Jianhe.

"Together?" Qin Jianhe asked, coming over to hold his wrist.

Ye Zhiqiu's wrist was very slender but felt soft and slightly cool in his hand.

Qin Jianhe then released his wrist and went to close the partially open window a little more.

"But my bathtub isn't big enough," Ye Zhiqiu leaned against the wall and smiled, "Only one person can use it."

"That makes it even more intimate," Qin Jianhe came over and held his wrist again, "I'll carry you."

"Go to hell," Ye Zhiqiu laughed, "Am I supposed to do all the work?"

"Can you?" Qin Jianhe asked, his eyes filled with amusement.

"In your dreams," Ye Zhiqiu laughed, "You can have the bathtub; I'll take the shower."

Though he said that, once both of them entered the bathroom, one of them would inevitably end up lying down.

Without exception, that person was always Ye Zhiqiu.

He was carried by Qin Jianhe to the bed, too exhausted to move a finger.

"Are you okay?" Qin Jianhe asked, his hot lips touching his flushed eyelids again.

"What do you think?" Ye Zhiqiu responded unfriendly, his clear voice now tinged with a slight hoarseness.

Holding him close, Qin Jianhe kissed the top of his dark hair.

"Teacher Ye," he said, "Shouldn't we start exercising?"

Ye Zhiqiu feigned death, not moving an eyelid.

"Hey, Teacher Ye," Qin Jianhe called out softly, his voice hoarse, making the title sound especially sexy, "Let's exercise together next time, starting with stamina training?"

Hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu buried his face deeper into his chest and covered his lips with his hand.

Qin Jianhe chuckled and kissed his blushing palm.

Not only his palm, even Ye Zhiqiu's fingertips were a soft pink, capable of melting even the hardest heart with a single glance.

"Ye Zhiqiu," Qin Jianhe asked, his voice a bit muffled, "When are you going back to work?"

Ye Zhiqiu turned over in his arms, his voice already carrying a hint of sleepiness, "Monday."

Qin Jianhe didn't say anything more, reaching up to turn off the overhead light, leaving only a small wall lamp on.

After a while, he lowered his head to kiss Ye Zhiqiu's forehead.

"Good night," he said, "Ye Zhiqiu."

"Good night, Qin Jianhe," Ye Zhiqiu thought.

But too exhausted to speak, he fell into a deep and sweet sleep without uttering a sound.

When he woke up again, it took him a moment to realize where he was.

Qin Jianhe had long since left, and Ye Zhiqiu habitually reached out to feel the temperature of the spot where he had been.

The bedcovers were barely warm, indicating that Qin Jianhe had been up for quite some time.

The large round bed was incredibly comfortable, soft and bouncy. Ye Zhiqiu rolled over to Qin Jianhe's side, burying his face in the pillow and closing his eyes once more.

The pillow still carried the faint scent of Qin Jianhe, a subtle and fresh aroma of grass and wood, somewhat cool and distant.

Just like him.

After lying still for a while, Ye Zhiqiu finally moved and sat up.

The curtains blocked most of the light, allowing only a faint glow to seep through.

Thinking it was still early, Ye Zhiqiu checked his phone and realized he had slept much longer than expected.

It was already nine in the morning.

He got up and opened the closet to find clothes, noticing that the drawer where he kept his undergarments now contained several sets of light-colored pajamas and underwear.

They were Qin Jianhe's clothes.

Mixed with his own, they created an intimate feeling, blending boundaries.

Ye Zhiqiu paused, and the drowsiness in his eyes gradually turned into a gentle smile.

He bent down, picked out a casual outfit, and casually put it on before opening the door and walking out.

The living room was filled with the rich aroma of food, but the dining table was empty.

Ye Zhiqiu looked around and spotted Qin Jianhe sitting on the swing chair on the balcony.

Holding a Pad, he was quietly reading something, his eyes slightly lowered, lost in thought and deeply focused.

Bathed in the morning sunlight, his sharp features and dark, long eyelashes glistened, making his jawline appear even more defined.

Like a perfect statue.

Ye Zhiqiu remained silent and approached quietly.

Only when he was a few steps away did Qin Jianhe's eyelashes flutter, and he lifted his gaze.

"Wake up," he said, smiling and reaching out to take Ye Zhiqiu's hand.

Ye Zhiqiu didn't move, so Qin Jianhe leaned forward, grasping his wrist and pulling him into his embrace.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked. "Are you hungry?"

"I thought you had already left," Ye Zhiqiu said, not answering his questions.

Without classes or work recently, his sense of time had become somewhat dulled.

When he first woke up, he thought Qin Jianhe had gone to work.

"Let's have breakfast together," Qin Jianhe said, leaning down to kiss him. "Do you have any plans for today?"

"I'll tidy up my workspace at home," Ye Zhiqiu replied. "The tools I ordered should arrive today, and... I need to go over the script. Director Zhou wants me to get familiar with it as soon as possible."

"What about you?" Ye Zhiqiu looked up, meeting Qin Jianhe's smiling eyes.

He noticed that Qin Jianhe was looking at his hands.

Feeling a bit childish, Ye Zhiqiu pulled his hands back, then realized he cared too much about Qin Jianhe's opinion and let them rest outside his sleeves again.

Qin Jianhe's smile grew warmer as he watched him.

"Ahem," Ye Zhiqiu cleared his throat, changing the subject.

"What about you?" he asked. "What are your plans for today?"

"I'm going to visit my grandfather at the nursing home," Qin Jianhe said, his tone gentle.

Though Qin Jianhe hadn't mentioned it, based on the two wild ducks he brought last night and the sausages personally prepared by Nie Fengjun, Ye Zhiqiu guessed that he had spent yesterday at the villa with Nie Fengjun.

Spending one day with Nie Fengjun and another at the nursing home...

Despite appearing cold, Qin Jianhe clearly cherished his family.

Perhaps because of his own experiences, Ye Zhiqiu easily developed a fondness for men like Qin Jianhe.

Smelling the delicious aroma from the kitchen, he couldn't help but think that even in their current relationship, Qin Jianhe was so attentive.

If he truly became part of his family, would he be loved and cherished just as well?

But quickly, he lowered his eyes, remembering the events of his past life.

He enjoyed the current state of affairs.

Life is short, and one must enjoy it to the fullest. This time, he just wanted to savor every moment.

For as long as it lasts.

Those thorny paths he had already walked once, leaving him with nothing but scars...

He didn't want to repeat them.

Even if he knew that walking them again might lead to entirely different outcomes, it still wouldn't change anything.

In fact, he realized that he truly liked Qin Jianhe deeply.

Whether it was the joy of seeing their clothes hanging side by side in the morning or the comfort of lazily lying in his arms now...

But feelings were feelings, and reason was reason. The line formed by the scars in Ye Zhiqiu's heart would always be there.

It was both a boundary and a principle.

"What are you thinking about?" Seeing that Ye Zhiqiu remained silent with lowered eyes, Qin Jianhe lifted his hand, smilingly cupped his face, and touched foreheads with him.

"I'm hungry, Qin Jianhe." Ye Zhiqiu looked up.

Qin Jianhe chuckled and pulled him up by the wrist.

The dining table soon came alive with activity.

Qin Jianhe had gotten up early to make an old duck radish soup, cooked a mixed grain rice, steamed a sausage, and made a cucumber salad...

After everything was on the table, he got up again, entering the kitchen to bring out snacks in small dishes.

Chocolate, plums, cookies...

The dishes were small, and the portions were modest, but when they were gently placed before him, Ye Zhiqiu couldn't help but feel his heart flutter.

That feeling of immense happiness spread through him once more, unbridled.

Ye Zhiqiu picked up his bowl to drink the soup and then took a piece of white radish into his mouth.

The radish was soft and had absorbed all the flavors of the broth, melting in his mouth.

"Delicious," he smiled, then asked, "Were you busy with work this morning on the balcony?"

"Reading Meng Da's emails," Qin Jianhe said.

Hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu checked the time again.

Today, Q.L's exhibition team would officially move to Milan, and in a week, they would return home.

"They should still be on the plane, right?" Ye Zhiqiu calculated the time.

The Paris exhibition went smoothly, even without Ye Zhiqiu. With Meng Da overseeing things, Wang Ru and Gao Yang had become increasingly adept.

Of course, the most noteworthy were Zhou Hui and Wei Tingjin.

With each show, their fame and value grew day by day.

The fashion world recognized that several new stars had emerged this year, and many companies and brands were keenly watching them.

Ye Zhiqiu's designs had indeed made them, but their brilliance and glamour also fed back into his reputation and design recognition.

After the second show in Paris, M.H's fashion director, Mathieu, specifically went backstage at Q.L to meet Ye Zhiqiu.

"You don't know," Gao Yang said excitedly over the phone, "a few years ago, Mr. Zhou and Mr. Mathieu met at a fashion event. When Mr. Mathieu arrived backstage this time, Mr. Zhou immediately jumped up to greet him, thinking he had come to see him. He was so proud and smug, but it turned out Mr. Mathieu was there to inquire about you."

"You don't know how awful Mr. Zhou's face looked afterward," Gao Yang added, excited.

M.H's invitation came after the international fashion competition, and Ye Zhiqiu received it too.

However, due to conflicts with his studies and future plans, he had eliminated the foreign brands from the first batch.

Mathieu's visit likely included trying to persuade him to join M.H.

...

"Hmm." Qin Jianhe smiled across the table, "Your influence in Paris was even greater than in the previous two shows, and the number of orders signed at the post-show meeting was the highest."

Ye Zhiqiu was aware of this situation because Wang Ru and Gao Yang reported to him almost daily.

Sometimes by phone, sometimes by text, and sometimes by email.

Hearing this, he only smiled slightly.

"Ye Zhiqiu," Qin Jianhe said, "you're going to become a little rich man."

When signing the contract with Q.L, one of Ye Zhiqiu's conditions was to receive a share of the profits based on the sales of his designs.

The higher the sales, the more money he would receive.

"So what?" Ye Zhiqiu's eyes curved into a smile, "Is Mr. Qin eyeing my earnings?"

"Hmm." Qin Jianhe smiled, "Wouldn't you consider hiring someone to take care of you with your newfound wealth?"

He spoke seriously, and just as Ye Zhiqiu was about to respond, Qin Jianhe continued.

"Like me," Qin Jianhe's eyes sparkled with amusement, "I can cook for you during the day and keep you warm at night."

"Ye Zhiqiu," he asked, "what do you think?"

Hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu laughed and kicked him under the table.

"How is it?" Qin Jianhe asked again.

"Have some food." Ye Zhiqiu placed a duck leg in his bowl.

Qin Jianhe lowered his eyes. After a moment, the corners of his lips curled up happily.

After the meal, Qin Jianhe left, while Ye Zhiqiu took the script and returned to the balcony to read.

The script was quite interesting. Although it only depicted the constant emotional clashes between two people, the tension was palpable even just from the text.

Substituting Baiyou and Meng Qingyan into the roles made it even more engaging.

Ye Zhiqiu was so engrossed that he didn't notice the time had already reached noon until the doorbell rang.

Not many people knew about his move, and even fewer knew his new address.

He thought it might be a delivery, but when he opened the door, both he and the food delivery person were a bit stunned.

The delivery person was stunned because Ye Zhiqiu was exceptionally good-looking; the moment the door opened, the impact of his beauty was overwhelming.

Ye Zhiqiu was stunned because...

"I don't think I ordered anything," he said to the delivery person, somewhat puzzled.

"It's definitely your address," the delivery person quickly recovered, hurriedly checking the address again and repeating the contact number on the order.

"It's mine," Ye Zhiqiu blinked, "please wait a moment, I'll check my orders."

He fetched his phone from the balcony and was about to unlock the screen when he saw a message from Qin Jianhe among several notifications.

"QIN: Ordered you some food, remember to collect it."

"Oh," Ye Zhiqiu looked up and said apologetically to the delivery person, "it is mine, a friend ordered it for me, thank you."

He brought the food inside and placed it on the dining table, then opened the packaging.

Two light side dishes and a bowl of spinach and pork liver porridge, all still steaming hot and fragrant.

Ye Zhiqiu sat down and replied to Qin Jianhe: "There's still half a pot of duck soup at home, why..."

Then, he lifted his hand and deleted the words one by one.

"YIZHIQIU: Thanks, just arrived, smells great."

"QIN: The porridge from this place is excellent; the dine-in experience is even better. I'll take you there sometime."

Ye Zhiqiu smiled but didn't reply further.

After lunch, the tools and workbench he had ordered arrived as scheduled.

Ye Zhiqiu spent the afternoon setting up his workspace until it looked proper.

Afterward, he dealt with several emails sent by Zhang Mian.

When he looked up again, the sky outside had turned gray.

From the top floor, the view was excellent. Ye Zhiqiu stood up and watched the last bit of red in the western sky fade as dusk settled in.

In the distance, lights in many windows began to flicker on, like stars slowly rising in the darkening sky.

Instinctively, Ye Zhiqiu turned his head to look at the neighboring complex.

Qin Jianhe's residence was in the center of the neighboring complex, partially obscured by the tall buildings, revealing only a bit of the gray rooftop.

Ye Zhiqiu stood quietly for a moment, then suddenly remembered something and walked back to the bedroom.

From a different angle, standing by the window, he could see Qin Jianhe's window clearly.

Though they were in adjacent complexes, there was a considerable distance between them. From here, Qin Jianhe's window appeared small, like a pigeonhole.

Amused by his own thoughts, Ye Zhiqiu couldn't help but laugh.

Suddenly, his eyes widened.

As if by telepathy, the previously dark window suddenly lit up.

Something inside Ye Zhiqiu stirred unexpectedly, filling him with intense joy that caught him off guard.

Then, his phone rang.

Ye Zhiqiu didn't move at first. After a while, he fished his phone out of his pocket.

It was Qin Jianhe.

He cleared his throat lightly, adjusting his voice before answering.

"Hello, Qin Jianhe," Ye Zhiqiu said, his voice steady.

"I'm back," Qin Jianhe's deep, pleasant voice softly echoed in Ye Zhiqiu's ear, "Ye Zhiqiu, come over for dinner tonight?"

Ye Zhiqiu pursed his lips.

"No," he said, "you'll trick me over and kill me again."

"This time, you can rest," Qin Jianhe laughed softly, his voice low, "I promise."

Ye Zhiqiu was slightly taken aback and suddenly realized something was amiss.

No, hasn't his principle always been that when they're together, they should do it?

Why is Qin Jianhe now promising not to in order to get him to come over for dinner?

Huh?

"Ye Zhiqiu, are you coming?" Qin Jianhe asked, his voice laced with temptation. "By the time you get here, my crabs will be steamed."

Crabs? Ye Zhiqiu hesitated.

"But," he said after a moment, "I still have half a pot of duck soup on warm keep."

The person on the other end laughed softly, a hint of helplessness and indulgence in the laughter.

All the emotions were deeply hidden, dissipating before one could even notice them.

"There's a thermal bucket in the upper left cabinet in the kitchen," Qin Jianhe said. "Bring the duck soup along; it won't go to waste."

Ye Zhiqiu had rushed in without turning on the light.

As they spoke, the room became completely dark.

Looking at the window across from him, glowing with a warm orange light, something surged and overflowed in his heart.

"Alright," he said, "remember to make a vinegar dish with plenty of ginger."

"Alright," Qin Jianhe replied, amusement in his voice. "I'll follow your instructions."